The state Commerce Department said Monday that North Carolina's unemployment rate was 9.5 percent in January. That is up from 9.4 percent in December.

Employers added nearly 3,000 more jobs than they cut, with hospitality and manufacturing responsible for most of the gains. North Carolina's hospitality industry was the sector with the largest monthly increase.

But the number of people unemployed grew by more than 6,000, with professional and business services losing the most workers, followed by education and health services.

More than 17,000 people were added in December to the pool of people looking for work statewide.